Car door



K. J, TOBIN March 24; 1936.

CAR DOOR T 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb, 10, 1935 HTTK March 24, 1936.

K. ,1. TOBlN CAR DOOR Filed Feb. 10, 1935 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIlIlI/IIIJ "/A/ VENTOE- KENNETH J TOB/A/ K. J. TOBIN CAR DOOR Filed Feb. 10, 1933 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 W 11,417 I QTTY Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE CAR DOOR of Ohio Application February 10, 1933, Serial No. 656,070

13 Claims.

This invention relates to car doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide car doors constructed so as to be capable of easy sliding movement upon a supporting track.

A further object is to provide sliding car doors carrying a reinforcing member upon a horizontal margin thereof, the member being designed to serve as a runway for door supporting rolling means.

A further object is to provide sliding car doors having a member secured to a horizontal margin thereof, said member having angularly related flanges presenting a downwardly opening reentrant angle for the reception of supporting rolling means for said doors.

A further object is to provide sliding car doors carrying an angle member exteriorly thereof upon a horizontal margin and secured thereto by means of a flange of said angle member which serves as retaining means for said door.

A further object is to provide sliding doors for railway house cars having a horizontal corrugation adjacent the lower margin thereof and a member providing an angular runway secured to said doors so that the corrugation affords an abutment for said member.

A further object is to provide sliding doors for railway house cars having a member forming a runway secured to the lower margin of said doors and corner gusset members arranged to be secured to and close the ends of said runway.

A further object is to provide sliding doors for railway house cars having a combined gusset, striking member and locking device.

A further object is to provide sliding doors for railway house cars having a combined closing, locking, hasp and guiding device.

Other objects will become clear as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a house car carrying a sliding door embodying the invention, the door being shown partially in full.

open position in dot and dash lines.

Figure 2 is a broken elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on line 66 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on line of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a partial enlarged elevation of the. lower forward corner of the door in partly opened position, showing the latching mechanism in door guiding relationship with the track.

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken on line 9--9 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated the numeral ll! designates generally a side wall of a railway house car. The side wall is provided, as is customary, with a door opening i I, the vertical margins of which are defined by the door posts l2 and I3. The upper and lower margins of the door opening II are defined, respectively, by means of the side plate l4 and the floor l5 which is supported upon a side sill 46. A track I! is secured below the door opening I l by means of a plurality of brackets such as l8 to which the track I! is riveted and which, in turn, is secured to the side sill.

In order to close the opening I I provided in the car side H] a door !9 is utilized and supported for sliding movement upon the track l'l. As illustrated the door I9 is preferably constructed of metal and embodies a metallic panel 20 which may be provided with a plurality of spaced horizontal corrugations 2|, merging at their ends into vertical corrugations 22 and 23 formed adjacent the forward and rear margins of the door. The panel is reinforced by means of the member 24 secured, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and '7 of the drawings, to the forward margin of the door and cooperating with an angle member 25 secured to the door post l2 to provide a weatherproof construction for the forward edge of the door. The rear margin of the panel has secured thereto a reinforcing member 26 and a sealing strip 2! adapted to cooperate with a spark strip 28 secured to the rear door post l3 to exclude the entry of weather into the car. The upper horizontal margin of the panel, it will be understood, is also reinforced by any desired means (not shown).

The lower horizontal margin of the panel is reinforced by means of the member 29 and, with reference to Figures 5, 6 and 9 of the drawings, it will be apparent that this member comprises angularly related flanges 30 and 3! which are so positioned that they present a downwardly opening reentrant angle serving, as hereinafter set forth, as a runway 32. The reinforcing member 29 is preferably secured to the panel of the door by means of a plurality of rivets connecting the flange 3| to the door panel. It will be apparent from the figures of the drawings above referred to that the runway 32 is positioned directly above the track I! so that the supporting balls 33, which are adapted to roll upon the track, will be seated in the runway 32 in engagement with the shoulders 34 and 35 preferably provided in said runway and extending longitudinally thereof. It is to be noted that with the assembly of the door the supporting balls and the track above described, the flange 3| of the reinforcing member 29 extends behind the track and in this position serves as a guide and as retaining means preventing the disengagement of the lower margin of the door from the track.

A gusset plate 36 is secured to the panel and to the vertical reinforcing member 24 fastened to the forward margin of the door in order to strengthen the door at the lower forward corner thereof. The gusset plate, additionally, is extended to overlap the adjacent end of the reinforcing member 29 and is secured to said end by means of the rivet 31. By this construction additional strength is imparted to the door and a closure provided for the runway at said end of the reinforcing member. A hollow cylindrical portion 38 is carried by the gusset plate 36 preferably integral therewith and is adapted to receive the vertical spindle 38 of a combined locking, closing and guiding device secured to the forward margin of the door. The spindle 39 is adapted for rotation about its axis within the cylindrical portion 38 provided on the gusset plate 35 and the bearing 40 carried by the bracket member 4! secured to the door. An actuating lever 42 is secured to the upper portion of the spindle 39 and is provided with a slot 43 through which the staple 44 of a lock member 45 is adapted to extend. A pin 46, carried by said lock member, projects through an opening provided in the staple in order to retain the lever 42 in its operative position. A seal (not shown) may then be threaded through aligned openings in the pin 46 and the lock member 45. The lock member is adapted to be carried upon an angle member 41 secured preferably to the door post l2.

The lower end of the spindle 39 is offset and provided with a depending portion 48 which is adapted to cooperate with the track I! to effect closing of the door and locking thereof. For this purpose the track 51 terminates as indicated at 49 rearwardly of the forward edge of the door in the closed position of the latter. It will be observed that the offset portion 48 extends downwardly in front of said track so as to prevent opening movement of the door. If, in the closing movement of the door, fully closed position thereof is not obtained it will be apparent that by actuation of the lever 42, which will lie at one hundred eighty degrees to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, rotation of the spindle 39 will be had and corresponding rotation of the projecting portion 48 will result in engagement of said portion with the end of the track I! so as to exert, upon continued actuation of the lever 42, a closing force upon the door. In order to move the door to open position it will be apparent that the actuating lever 42 must be released from the lock member 45 and by means thereof the spindle 39 rotated so as to position the projecting portion 48 of the spindle outwardly of the track IT, as clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings. The door may then be moved toward open position and in this movement the forward edge thereof will be guided by means of the portion 48.

A gusset plate 50 is secured to the panel and to the vertical reinforcing member 26 at the lower rear corner of the door. The gusset plate 58 is extended so as to overlap the adjacent end of the reinforcing member 29 and is secured thereto by means of the rivet i. By this construction it is clear that the lower rear corner of the door is strengthened by means of the association therewith of the gusset plate. Moreover, the gusset plate serves to close runway at said end of the reinforcing member.

The gusset plate 59 is constructed so that it combines preferably in an integral structure a guiding, locking and striking device. The rear of the door is guided in the movements thereof by means of the flange 52 which lies outwardly of the track 11. Reinforcing ribs or flanges 53 and 54, carried in vertically spaced relationship upon the gusset plate 5!], are provided with aligned openings 55 and 56 whereby said ribs or flanges are adapted to receive a vertically movable locking bolt 51 which, as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, is adapted to be received within an opening 58 provided in the track I! in the open position of the door. Disengagement of the locking bolt 51 from the gusset plate is prevented by means of a lateral projection 59 formed on the locking bolt and lying under the head 60 of the full headed securing rivet 6|. A handle portion 62 formed on the locking bolt 51 facilitates operation of said bolt. Y

The gusset plate 58 extends rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the door in the form of a substantially hollow structure. This structure is constituted by the rear wall 63, side walls 64 and 65, and the top wall 66 which is turned downwardly at its outer margin to provide a flange 6'1. The side walls 64 and 65 at their outer margins are turned inwardly so as to provide flanges 68 and 69. By this arrangement of walls and flanges a pocket is provided in the extending portion of the gusset plate, the bottom of said pocket being open as indicated at H. A resilient member, preferably in the form of a block of rubber i2, is positioned within the pocket 18 through the opening H thereof and is adapted to be retained therein by means of a horizontally extending flange 13 adapted to engage the lower portion of the rubber block. Theflange 13 is provided upon ,an abutment member 14 positioned within the pocket 10, through the opening H therein and retained against disengagement therefrom by rearward horizontal movement by means of the interlocking engagement between the inturned flanges 68 and 69 and flanges l5 and 16 provided on said abutment member. This disengagement is also prevented by means of the interlocking engagement between the flange 6! and the flange 11 formed on the upper margin of the abutment member 14. The frictional engagement between the abutment member 14 and the rubber block 12 may be relied upon to retain these parts within the pocket 18 but it will be apparent in any event that the loss of these parts will be prevented by the track [1.

By the construction hereinabove described it will be evident that a very easily sliding door has been provided. In the opening and closing movements of the door the supporting balls will roll relative to the door and the track and, because of the engagementof the shoulders 34 and 35 in the runway'of the reinforcing member 29, complete rolling movement of the door will be obtained. The supporting balls 30 are prefably maintained in the desired spaced relationship by means of a spacer bar 18. The reinforcing member 29, therefore, serves not only to strengthen the panel of the door but provides additionally a runway in which the supporting balls are seated. This reinforcing member, as clearly illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 9 of the drawings, is so positioned that it has abutting engagement with the underside of the horizontal corrugation 2| adjacent the lower margin of the door. By this relationship the said corrugation is utilized to reinforce the member 29. Moreover, by the securement of the ends of the reinforcing member 29 to the gusset plates 36 and 59 a rigid and strong construction for the lower margin of the door is obtained. It will be manifest as well that the construction of the gusset plate 50 embodies in a simple structure means for reinforcing and locking the door as well as a resilient means for dissipating the force of impact of a striking member against a stop 19 secured preferably upon the track I1. It will be apparent, therefore, that injury to the lower vertical margin of the door cannot result from the force of this impact. At the forward margin of the door as well the gusset plate 36 lends strength thereto and provides, additionally, a housing for a member which serves as a closing, locking and guiding arrangement for the forward margin of the door.

This member, moreover, by means of its vertically spaced securement to the door insures proper engagement between the forward edge of the door and the angle member 25, obviates any tendency of tilting of the door in its plane and, because the strain incident thereupon is distributed to a plurality of points thereof, the said member may be reduced in section.

It is apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A metallic car door comprising a panel, a longitudinally extending corrugation formed in said panel adjacent the lower margin thereof, a reinforcing member secured to said margin in abutting engagement with the underside of said corrugation, said member having angularly related flanges positioned to present a downwardly opening reentrant angle to provide a runway for door supporting rolling means, whereby said corrugation serves to back up said reinforcing member and to carry part of the stresses incident upon said reinforcing member.

2. A metallic car door comprising a panel, gusset plates secured to the lower corners of said door, a reinforcing member secured to the lower margin of said panel, said member having angularly related flanges positioned to present a downwardly opening reentrant angle, whereby said member is adapted to provide a runway for door supporting rolling means, said gusset plates having portions conforming to one of the flanges of said member disposed in overlapping engagement with the ends of said one flange.

3. A metallic car door comprising a panel and.

a'reinforcing frame therefor, a gusset plate secured to said panel and said frame at the rear lower corner of said door, apair of vertically spaced reinforcing flanges provided on said gusset plate, aligned openings formed in said flanges and a locking bolt slidably carried by said plate extending through said openings.

4. A metallic car door comprisin a panel and a reinforcing frame therefor, a gusset plate, means including a full headed rivet securing said plate to said panel and said frame at the rear lower corner of said door, a pair of vertically spaced reinforcing flanges provided on said gusset plate, aligned openings formed in said flanges and a locking bolt slidably carried by said plate extending through said openings, said bolt having a projection adapted to be engaged by said rivet to prevent disengagement of said bolt from said flanges.

5. A metallic car door comprising a panel, a reinforcing member secured to the rear vertical margin of said panel, a gusset plate secured to said panel and said reinforcing member at the rear lower corner of said door and a striking member integral with said gusset plate projecting beyond the rear edge of said door, said striking member abutting said reinforcing member in the direction of impact upon said member.

6. A metallic car door comprising a panel, a

reinforcing member secured to the rear vertical margin of said panel, a gusset plate secured to said panel and said reinforcing member at the rear lower corner of said door and a striking member integral with said gusset plate projecting beyond the rear edge of said door, said striking member carrying resilient impact dissipating means and abutting said reinforcing member in the direction of impact upon said member.

7. In a railway house car, a door, a track having a shoulder secured to said car for supporting said door, a gusset plate secured to the forward lower corner of said door, said gusset plate comprising a hollow vertically extending cylindrical portion and a combined closing and locking device having a spindle extending through said cylindrical portion and adapted to cooperate with said shoulder for the purpose set forth.

8. In a railway house car having a door opening, in combination, a slidable door for closing said opening, a track positioned below said door opening for supporting said door, said door in itsfully closed position extending beyond the forward edge of said track, and means secured tothe extending portion of said door and cooperable with said edge of the track for imparting a closing movement to said door.

9. In a railway house car having a door opening, in combination, a slidable door for closing said opening, a track positioned below said door opening for supporting said door, said door in the forward edge of said track, means comprise ing a vertical spindle rotatable about its axis carried by said door, said spindle having a laterally offset projection adapted to engage said edge of the track in the closed position of the door and means for rotating said spindle to position said projection outwardly of said track, whereby said projection provides a guide for said door.

11. In a railway house car having a door opening, in combination, a slidable door for closing said opening, a track positioned below said door opening for supporting said door, said door in its fully closed position extending beyond the forward edge of said track, a pair of vertically spaced bearing members secured to said extending portion of said door, a vertical spindle journaled in said bearing members, said spindle abutting said edge of the track to prevent opening movement of said door, means secured to said spindle adjacent the upper bearing member for rotating said spindle in said bearing members and means for fastening said first mentioned means to said car.

12. In a car door, a gusset plate secured to the rear lower corner of said door, a striking member carried by said door extending beyond the rear edge thereof and reinforcing flanges provided on said gusset plate disposed in abutting relationship with said striking member to prevent rotation of said member under impact.

13. In a car door, a gusset plate secured to the rear lower corner of said door, a striking member carried by said door extending beyond the rear edge thereof and reinforcing flanges provided on said gusset plate disposed in abutting relationship with said striking member to prevent rotation of said member under impact, said reinforcing flanges having vertically aligned open-.

KENNETH J. TOBIN. 

